So working in the fashion this past year, I’ve noticed there hasn’t been a lot of change. Pay has gone done in LA which is bizarre to see. A senior tech designer made over 90,000 pre covid and now wages are starting at 70,000. Even doing freelance and consulting is taking a hit, as small business are closing trying to keep up with cost. Sometimes I feel it’s better to cut my losses and try new things in fashion or in another industry. What are your thoughts on the fashion industry in 2025. Any hope??
Similar in NYC- I’m in design- have been looking for the new job, not much luck so far- dont see many jobs above senior level out there- available positions, even the salary seems gone down since Q3-
I really want to move out of this industry, just dont know what I even like/am interested- so burnt out from our industry-
I’m also in LA and it does seem strange that pay has gone down, but that seems to be the case. I locked in a really nice salary during the tight employee market in late 2021. Now I have a bit of the golden handcuffs situation where I don’t think any other employers would offer me the same pay for a similar position. I keep my eye on job listings and haven’t seen anything at a similar rate for months.
I am riding it out. I’ve been wanting to move out of LA for other reasons for years. My husband works in film so it always made sense for us to stay. But between the slowness in the film industry and feeling a lil burnt out in fashion and not feeling like there is any room for growth for me, we are considering our options. My husband is actively retraining for the medical field. I’m not actively changing careers, but focusing on stacking cash and staying frugal so I can explore other options when the time comes. With the wildfires destroying LA right now, it might be sooner than later. Tattoo artist is my top choice for career change.
I am hopeful but we need people to speak up we are in a day an age where there’s a lot of hidden pain and everyone is over it and wouldn’t support us revolutionize the fashion industry
From racism
Horrible leadership
Toxic workplace
Burnouts
Ability to juggle life
I have to agree. I currently have a job (I am in L.A.) that I took after I was part of a large layoff at my last design job, thinking that it would be temporary as it paid more than unemployment. Here I am two years later, and I have only had a handful of interviews in the past two years. More demands and duties are given, but the pay has not budged and we have been told no raises for at least another two years. It is not sustainable. I have taken some online teaching jobs on the side to help supplement, but physically and mentally it has become draining as I am working 12-14 hour days with my regular job and the extras just to make it paycheck to paycheck. I have over 25+ years experience and I have to keep working as I do not have a savings (haven’t been able to make enough to put into a savings), and it is becoming more difficult with each day. I feel our industry is taking advantage of all of us and so wish we had a union to protect us. Our industry’s employers have the upper hand and they know it.
I had a very well-paid position before our company laid off over 100 of us in January 2022 and I am no where near the pay I used to make. I have more duties as I am an apparel designer, graphic artist for apparel, work with production, tech packs, you name it. I have given up on recruiters as two told me I have been in the industry too long and the industry wants fresh faces who don’t need a lot of money (ie, pay them cheap). Truly sad and maddening. And yes, the wildfires here in Southern California for the past week have really more anxiety. I live in an area where I have been in two prior evacuations and that adds more stress to an already stressful situation.
I’m glad you see the salary changes too! I thought I was going crazy. It’s great you have a pivot plan where you can still be creative! Best of luck <3
I’m so sorry to hear that! With the high cost of living LA really makes you push yourself. There is no reason you should have to work 2 jobs to maintain. I wish we had a union too but they treat us like robots and expects us to work for pennies. Something has to change.
Same, the NY market is slow in my world and the opportunities aren’t coming at the same rates they used to. I’m down quite a lot from my last position and it’s not like there’s a bunch of opportunities at my old rate. I’m starting to see more companies moving a lot of their PD/ design work overseas to save costs where they can.
Yes, the NY market is tough now. Salaries have gone down since pre-Covid days - hard to find any above 100K in either Tech design or Design even at senior levels. A lot of companies are only hiring on 3-month contracts to avoid paying benefits. PD & Design as well as Tech design is being farmed out overseas, relying on vendor’s resources or they are trying to do it thru 3D-- thinking they can save by reducing the headcount. Don’t get me wrong- a lot can be accomplished thru digital, but they still need experienced people (10 yrs +) with good fit & technical skills, or whatever they think they will save in reducing salaries and headcount will be negatively offset by poor results of bad fit & unsaleable product.
Home furnishings NY Designer here. Salaries are down – way down – and designers are acting as design directors/packaging designers/tech packs/product managers/showroom setup. I’m good with all of the variety in the responsibilities – I enjoy all creative digital projects - but the industry is struggling and declining at a level I have never experienced. Even in 2008, the quality of the design and finished product was significantly better. We are all shutterstock and cheap polyester now and it’s clearly the wrong direction. Stores are failing and when shelves aren’t empty they have bland, badly made products. If a consumer wants a nice quilt or set of sheets, online is their best option. I really love making beautiful products and frankly, it’s heartbreaking to send a techpack to the factory and get back a shadow of what I created on a thin polyester microfibre. It’s time to start making beautiful products again, or we will not get people back into the stores.
THIS is exactly correct. On the apparel side, the consolidation of brands and the explosion of licensing arrangements have crushed creativity and pushed down quality.
Portfolio managers should run fashion companies, designers should.